About this Cinema Study Day

The BFI Southbank and James Trapp will use clips from a variety of feature films to prompt learning about Chinese culture and history, while extending students’ vocabulary.

The morning session will screen a range of films from modern depictions of traditional Chinese tales such as The Curse of the Golden Flower through more contemporary themes such as those in Beijing Bicycles, to more well-known, action-based films like The House of Flying Daggers (pictured above). We will explore themes of dichotomy – such as: rural versus urban, tradition versus modern, and past versus present – and the representation of young people through their responsibilities and plights.

There will be interactive activities for students to engage with and opportunities for extending vocabulary linked to the films. Students will be encouraged to interact in Mandarin where possible.

In the afternoon there will be an introduced screening of a suitable feature film; the most recent being the award-winning, Not One Less, 1999.